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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitch — completely
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — for pool
  7. court — for sport
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. degree — temperature
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — a hint
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. court — of a king
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bat — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. board — a committee
  21. degree — from a university
  22. board — to get on
  23. court — of law
  24. board — a flat piece

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com